joeR6
Well-known member
So my older brother pursuaded me after a while to come visit him in Southern California to go do some riding b/w LA and San Fran. I only had a couple days of vacation left this year so I decided to fly out there from the midwest and I'd rent a bike. If I had the time I'd ride the feejer out there but this time she went to the shop to get a new set of PR2's on (group buy - courtesy of Toecutter 
) ECU recall as well as Int MPG fix. Little did my FJR know that I'd be abandoning her for another bike - and that I would pay the price on my 3rd and final day of riding - I'll get to that later.
Day 1
Rented the bike from werentmotorcycles.com located in Orange County, CA. They offered the new Concours 14, Hayabusa, BMW K1200S, BMW LT, and a few other bikes. I did want to try out the new Concours but I've always had the desire to ride a BMW so this was my chance to mount their most powerful production bike on some of California's best roads. Rental service was very good and I would recommend them. For a daily fee of $175 they delivered the bike early in the morning to my brother's house. I was given the 2006 model that had 22k miles, fresh tires, and all the bells and whisltes that BMW has to offer. Electronic Suspension Adjustment, Linked power-assist ABS, factory hardbags, mounted Garmin Zumo and unlimited mileage. My brother rode his Honda Superhawk and my dad rode my brother's FJR.
Off we go with my older bro as our professional tour guide- first we hit up the Pacific Coast Highway and ride to the Malibu Mountains. California is absolutely beautiful and the weather is great. I was very surprised how much cooler it is by the coast. When I think of SoCal I think of girls in Bikinis on the beach like in Baywatch, but most people were wearing coats in August!
Back to the bike. I think this bike looks great! Especially the color scheme on the fairings. Right side of the rear wheel is free-floating which added to the bikes appeal. Grips were very hard and I could start to feel the pain in my wrists after a couple hours (ahhh, the joys of riding a sportbike again.) As far as the seat goes, well I've had worse (stock seat on an R6) but considering this to be a sportbike and not the LT it wasn't too bad. Riding position is less aggresive than your typical sportbike so that was very welcoming. Turns signals are weired (one on each handlbar) and I never got used to them but whatever, krauts just got to be different. Below 3k RPM the bike has a very rough idle. She doesn't start to come alive until about 6k RPM (11k is redline). After a few hours of riding the PCH, the K1200S and I were past introductions - we're ready to party!
We made our way into the Malibu Mtns. Very twisty carving canyon rodes that traverse up the mountains, a few hairpins- Lots of fun! Quick gas stop and I got to practice my espanol with the station attendant - he saw we were riding and in his thickest mexican accent said "You guys gotta go to Hwy 33 - nobody bother you there man!" Up to Ojai and world-renowned Hwy 33. Then up on to (WR) Hwy 58 from McKittrick.
Here is pic along Hwy 33.
We then proceeded to Lockwood Valley rd on to (WR) Cerro Noroeste rd (my personal favorite). This road meaners through arid rolling hills and wheat fields - the roads are absolutely awesome! Long continuous sweepers for miles as the sun was setting. Best of all no traffic. At one point, I wasn't sure exactly where but we went through fields of Oil drills (some old, some out of commission long ago) pumping away in the middle of nowhere. Reminded me of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
Day 2
Up to and through the vinyards around (WR) Paso Robles - Very beautiful
Had to get an FJR pic (with my 66yr old dad)
I really digged the exhaust note of this bike. Inline-4 but doesn't have that high pitch whine as much as say an R1. It kind of has a deeper howl -wwwhhuuuuuuaaaaaaaaaa!! Handling was absolutely incredible - I have to give BMW props for the ESA function (although for me certaily not worth the +$20k price tag this bike carries.) There are two sets of 3 different settings. One (compression, preload, rebound - I'm not sure which one) has to be done with the bike on and in neutral. Tap the button and you can feel the bike go up and down depending on the setting. The other adjustments can be made while riding - comfort, norm, and sport. I kept it mostly on norm, sport was way to harsh, and comfort for the super slab. While turning up the heat following my bro through some twisties the suspension was probably the best I've ever had (again, it sure comes with a $$price$$) Easily soaked up bumps while in mid-corner. Left-to-right turns were very confidence inspiring. If you firmly apply the brakes on a normal bike the front end dives forward - not so on the beemer with its ESA function. I did not however like the power-assist ABS. There is way too much initial bite when you apply the brakes. When coming in hot into a corner I hit the brakes and the rear wheel damn near came up, causing the rear end to get a little squirrely. I can do fine with any modern sportbike stock brakes.
More vinyards
Skirt through a couple military bases
on to (WR) Hwy 198 - awesome! and (WR) Los Gatos road out of Coalinga. We then headed down the PCH through Big Sur
Big Sur along the PCH -Kick ass road when there isn't too much traffic
Big Sur - unintentionally we were all color matched with the Beemer
Left to Right: My brother Chris, myself, and my old man
Day 3
Bro had to take off early to go to work so My old man and I would take the scenic rt back to Orange County. We intended to make our way to Cerro Noroeste rd again but had to travel a long lonely hwy through the desert. We came up upon a long straight stretch of hwy with no one in sight - perfect time to do a high speed run! :evil: I start from 1st, pound my way through the gears and I glance at the spedo - 150mph. I want to keep going (bike easily could have), but little voice inside my head says don't get too crazy. She had plenty of power and man did she get up there fast! This beemer is a freakin MISSILE!!! Yeeeehaaaa!!
We make it about 13 miles west of New Cayuma (sp?) still in the middle of the desert and come upon a construction zone with one lane closed. We are at stop waiting for the opposing traffic to go by and for the worker to signal us through, so I shut the bike off. This is where something went terribly wrong. As the worker signals us to go, I hit the start button - nothing. I turn the ignition off and on, hit the start button and she hesitates - baaarum, baarum. She finally kicked over but sounded awful, like someone had thrown a wrench into the engine. Check engine light flashes, engine still sounds awful with really bad vibration througout the whole bike. I make it maybe 50 feet and the engine seizes. My beemer had died.
DEAD IN THE DESERT
My dad circles back to see what the problem is. I try to hit the start button again and I just hear the electic motor turning, not even engaging the engine. For some reason the Zumo had been zapped by the bike which made me think it was electrical. However the bad vibes from the engine made me think otherwise. We tried everything but I knew we were not overlooking anything. Called up the dude I rented it from, he tells me to make sure there is gas, check kill switch etc. No luck - come get us I said. He was 6 hours away. My dad and I were in the middle of the desert, no trees for shade and temps over 105 degrees. I would have just ridden the FJR back with my dad but my bro is an Iron Butt rider and has a 4gallon auxillary fuel tank on the back. Long story short I used my towing co. to get me to the nearest town so we could get some shade and water and from there the rental co. took the broken beemer and my dad back to Orange County along with one day's refund. I rode the FJR the rest of the way.
In the end it was the trustee FJR that ulitmatley got me home. Aside from my last day being stuck in the middle of the desert for hours (thank god my cell worked) SoCal is truely a spectaclar place to ride and I hope to return one day - not on beemer though.
) ECU recall as well as Int MPG fix. Little did my FJR know that I'd be abandoning her for another bike - and that I would pay the price on my 3rd and final day of riding - I'll get to that later.Day 1
Rented the bike from werentmotorcycles.com located in Orange County, CA. They offered the new Concours 14, Hayabusa, BMW K1200S, BMW LT, and a few other bikes. I did want to try out the new Concours but I've always had the desire to ride a BMW so this was my chance to mount their most powerful production bike on some of California's best roads. Rental service was very good and I would recommend them. For a daily fee of $175 they delivered the bike early in the morning to my brother's house. I was given the 2006 model that had 22k miles, fresh tires, and all the bells and whisltes that BMW has to offer. Electronic Suspension Adjustment, Linked power-assist ABS, factory hardbags, mounted Garmin Zumo and unlimited mileage. My brother rode his Honda Superhawk and my dad rode my brother's FJR.
Off we go with my older bro as our professional tour guide- first we hit up the Pacific Coast Highway and ride to the Malibu Mountains. California is absolutely beautiful and the weather is great. I was very surprised how much cooler it is by the coast. When I think of SoCal I think of girls in Bikinis on the beach like in Baywatch, but most people were wearing coats in August!
Back to the bike. I think this bike looks great! Especially the color scheme on the fairings. Right side of the rear wheel is free-floating which added to the bikes appeal. Grips were very hard and I could start to feel the pain in my wrists after a couple hours (ahhh, the joys of riding a sportbike again.) As far as the seat goes, well I've had worse (stock seat on an R6) but considering this to be a sportbike and not the LT it wasn't too bad. Riding position is less aggresive than your typical sportbike so that was very welcoming. Turns signals are weired (one on each handlbar) and I never got used to them but whatever, krauts just got to be different. Below 3k RPM the bike has a very rough idle. She doesn't start to come alive until about 6k RPM (11k is redline). After a few hours of riding the PCH, the K1200S and I were past introductions - we're ready to party!
We made our way into the Malibu Mtns. Very twisty carving canyon rodes that traverse up the mountains, a few hairpins- Lots of fun! Quick gas stop and I got to practice my espanol with the station attendant - he saw we were riding and in his thickest mexican accent said "You guys gotta go to Hwy 33 - nobody bother you there man!" Up to Ojai and world-renowned Hwy 33. Then up on to (WR) Hwy 58 from McKittrick.
Here is pic along Hwy 33.
We then proceeded to Lockwood Valley rd on to (WR) Cerro Noroeste rd (my personal favorite). This road meaners through arid rolling hills and wheat fields - the roads are absolutely awesome! Long continuous sweepers for miles as the sun was setting. Best of all no traffic. At one point, I wasn't sure exactly where but we went through fields of Oil drills (some old, some out of commission long ago) pumping away in the middle of nowhere. Reminded me of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
Day 2
Up to and through the vinyards around (WR) Paso Robles - Very beautiful
Had to get an FJR pic (with my 66yr old dad)
I really digged the exhaust note of this bike. Inline-4 but doesn't have that high pitch whine as much as say an R1. It kind of has a deeper howl -wwwhhuuuuuuaaaaaaaaaa!! Handling was absolutely incredible - I have to give BMW props for the ESA function (although for me certaily not worth the +$20k price tag this bike carries.) There are two sets of 3 different settings. One (compression, preload, rebound - I'm not sure which one) has to be done with the bike on and in neutral. Tap the button and you can feel the bike go up and down depending on the setting. The other adjustments can be made while riding - comfort, norm, and sport. I kept it mostly on norm, sport was way to harsh, and comfort for the super slab. While turning up the heat following my bro through some twisties the suspension was probably the best I've ever had (again, it sure comes with a $$price$$) Easily soaked up bumps while in mid-corner. Left-to-right turns were very confidence inspiring. If you firmly apply the brakes on a normal bike the front end dives forward - not so on the beemer with its ESA function. I did not however like the power-assist ABS. There is way too much initial bite when you apply the brakes. When coming in hot into a corner I hit the brakes and the rear wheel damn near came up, causing the rear end to get a little squirrely. I can do fine with any modern sportbike stock brakes.
More vinyards
Skirt through a couple military bases
on to (WR) Hwy 198 - awesome! and (WR) Los Gatos road out of Coalinga. We then headed down the PCH through Big Sur
Big Sur along the PCH -Kick ass road when there isn't too much traffic
Big Sur - unintentionally we were all color matched with the Beemer
Left to Right: My brother Chris, myself, and my old man
Day 3
Bro had to take off early to go to work so My old man and I would take the scenic rt back to Orange County. We intended to make our way to Cerro Noroeste rd again but had to travel a long lonely hwy through the desert. We came up upon a long straight stretch of hwy with no one in sight - perfect time to do a high speed run! :evil: I start from 1st, pound my way through the gears and I glance at the spedo - 150mph. I want to keep going (bike easily could have), but little voice inside my head says don't get too crazy. She had plenty of power and man did she get up there fast! This beemer is a freakin MISSILE!!! Yeeeehaaaa!!
We make it about 13 miles west of New Cayuma (sp?) still in the middle of the desert and come upon a construction zone with one lane closed. We are at stop waiting for the opposing traffic to go by and for the worker to signal us through, so I shut the bike off. This is where something went terribly wrong. As the worker signals us to go, I hit the start button - nothing. I turn the ignition off and on, hit the start button and she hesitates - baaarum, baarum. She finally kicked over but sounded awful, like someone had thrown a wrench into the engine. Check engine light flashes, engine still sounds awful with really bad vibration througout the whole bike. I make it maybe 50 feet and the engine seizes. My beemer had died.
DEAD IN THE DESERT
My dad circles back to see what the problem is. I try to hit the start button again and I just hear the electic motor turning, not even engaging the engine. For some reason the Zumo had been zapped by the bike which made me think it was electrical. However the bad vibes from the engine made me think otherwise. We tried everything but I knew we were not overlooking anything. Called up the dude I rented it from, he tells me to make sure there is gas, check kill switch etc. No luck - come get us I said. He was 6 hours away. My dad and I were in the middle of the desert, no trees for shade and temps over 105 degrees. I would have just ridden the FJR back with my dad but my bro is an Iron Butt rider and has a 4gallon auxillary fuel tank on the back. Long story short I used my towing co. to get me to the nearest town so we could get some shade and water and from there the rental co. took the broken beemer and my dad back to Orange County along with one day's refund. I rode the FJR the rest of the way.
In the end it was the trustee FJR that ulitmatley got me home. Aside from my last day being stuck in the middle of the desert for hours (thank god my cell worked) SoCal is truely a spectaclar place to ride and I hope to return one day - not on beemer though.
